John Owan Enoh, Minister of State for Industry, has commenced a series of strategic inspections of sugar projects across the country.
These strategic visits which began with the Lafiagi Sugar Company (LASUCO) in Kwara State, are in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to concerned officials for the acceleration of Nigeria’s attainment of self-sufficiency in sugar production.
During the visit, the Minister undertook a comprehensive tour of LASUCO’s integrated sugar complex, including its sugar mill, ethanol plant, power infrastructure, irrigation systems, and over 700 hectares of existing sugarcane cultivation.
The project, owned by the BUA Group, is designed as a 10,000-tonne cane-per-day sugar mill with the capacity to produce up to 220,000 metric tonnes of refined sugar annually when fully operational.
While commending the Executive Secretary/CEO of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Kamar Bakrin, for the great job he has done in motivating and monitoring the BIP operators, the Minister noted that the scale of infrastructure, level of investment, and degree of project advancement observed at LASUCO reflect a tangible commitment to the objectives of the Backward Integration Programme.
The Minister emphasised that Mr. President had mandated him, working closely with the NSDC boss who was with him on the tour, to ensure that operators move decisively from plans to full production.
While acknowledging progress at the Lafiagi facility, the Minister stressed the urgent need for accelerated sugarcane development to match factory capacity, reiterating that farm expansion remains critical to achieving full operational readiness.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to sustained engagement with serious investors, traditional institutions, and host communities, as Nigeria intensifies efforts to energise the sugar industry, conserve foreign exchange, create jobs, and deepen industrial value chains.
